846 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
[April 22, 1871 
Platino-chloride precipitated cold . . Pt 26-50 
„ crystallized.... 26 - 62 
The oxalate, as I have before mentioned, though it is 
the most easily crystallized of the salts of this alkaloid, 
is unfortunately very difficult to purify entirely, and 
changes so readily under the influence of air, light or 
heat, that I have been unable to obtain it colourless. 
When a dilute aqueous solution is concentrated by eva¬ 
poration in a water-bath, the change of colour shows 
that decomposition has, to a certain extent, taken place, 
and on the addition of water, a brown resinoid matter 
separates from the solution. To find out if this was 
caused by impurities or was a property of the salt itself, 
I decomposed the platino-chloride of known purity by 
several processes, but in each case the resulting oxalate 
had the same colour and the same tendency to decom¬ 
pose. Even when prepared from perfectly colourless 
solutions of the alkaloid in ether, I have still found the 
oxalate of a greenish-yellow hue, even before the appli¬ 
cation of heat; in fact, I am not sure that this colour 
may not be inherent in the salt itself. 
It is extremely soluble in water, the wet crystals melt¬ 
ing at 100°, but much less so in cold water ; insoluble in 
ether, but very soluble in alcohol, and to a less degree 
in amylic alcohol, from hot concentrated solutions in 
either of which menstrua it crystallizes freely on cool¬ 
ing. The water of crystallization is partially given 
oft' in vacuo, and entirely at 100° after previous drying; 
if the salt is at once heated to 100° without previous 
exsiccation, it is apt to fuse. 
The combustion proved exceedingly difficult; the usual 
process with cupric oxide was found inadmissible, the ox¬ 
alate assuming a dark brown colour as soon as it touched 
the oxide. The only practicable method is burning in 
oxygen gas, and even in this mode of analysis, the low 
temperature at which the substance partially decom¬ 
poses, makes it difficult to accomplish successfully. It 
will be seen that the results, though agreeing very 
closely among themselves, differ considerably from the 
probable formula, showing plainly the difficulty of ob¬ 
taining a pure product. 
The hydration and the oxalic acid point to the formula 
2(Co 0 H 24 N 2 0 2 ), C 2 H 2 0 4 -f 9aq., the numbers obtained 
being:— 
c. 
H. 
C a H a 0 4 . 
H a O 
at 100. 
H a O 
iu vacuo. 
Theory . 
. 5600 
7-55 
1000 
18-00 
Exp. I. . 
. 57*57 
8-64 
10-07 
17-98 
14-23 
„ n. . 
. 57*42 
8-74 
9-98 
17-98 
14-09 
„ hi. 
. 57-74 
9-14 
10-08 
17-89 
14-02 
„ IY.. 
. 57-85 
8-79 
10-23 
17-72 
13-82 
„V. . 
• 
— 
10-19 
17-98 
— 
The water lost by drying in vacuo agrees very closely 
with 7 atoms, viz. 14*00 per cent. 
The salt thus differs from oxalate of quinine by three 
atoms of water of crystallization, the formula of the 
latter being 2(C 20 H 24 N 2 O 2 ),C 2 H 2 O 4 , + 6aq. 
I he properties of the other salts which I have ex¬ 
amined are as follows:—The sulphate, tartrate, citrate, 
hydrochlorate,. phosphate and acetate are all exceed- 
ingly soluble in water; on evaporation in vacuo they 
form semi-crystalline masses, impossible to obtain in a 
state fit for analysis. 
^ I he hydrobromate and ferrocyanide obtained by double 
(decomposition form oily strata at the bottom of the solu¬ 
tion, soluble in an additional quantity of water, but even 
on long standing they show no sign of crystallization. 
I he hydriodate also forms an oily stratum in strong 
solutions, but on standing it becomes semi-solid by the 
formation of crystals; weaker solutions also deposit a 
small quantity of flocculent crystals, but in neither case 
can they be separated from the mother-liquor. 
1 he sulphocyanide, while also forming an oil when, in 
concentrated solutions, crystallizes from a somewhat 
larger quantity of water in long silky needles, almost 
white, very soluble, and readily decomposed by heat. 
The iodo-sulphate I have not as yet succeeded in form¬ 
ing. I much regret this, on account of the great im¬ 
portance of this salt in the cinchona alkaloids, and fur¬ 
ther experiments are needed, either to form it or to prove 
its absence. 
The alkaloid itself, as obtained by precipitation from 
a solution of its salts by potash or soda, is a yellowish 
oil. I have not been able to obtain it pure in the solid 
state, for it will not bear heat without decomposition, 
and holds water too strongly to dry in vacuo. It is very 
soluble in alcohol, soluble to a large extent in ether, from 
which it separates as an oil when the ether is allowed to 
evaporate. It is a strong base; the salts are neutral to 
test-paper; a small excess of the base strongly restoi-es 
the colour of reddened litmus. Ammonia precipitates 
its solutions but imperfectly, and, if we may judge from 
this it is even a stronger base than quinine. 
Chlorine-water followed by ammonia, produces in so¬ 
lutions of its salts the green colour and precipitate of 
dalleiochin which distinguishes quinine and quinidine. 
Sti’ong acids, even in the cold, pi'orluce a change of colour, 
and even when diluted with a considei'able quantity of 
water; heat rendei-s the action much more rapid. This 
coloration is strongest when nitric acid is used, an excess 
of which, with the aid of heat, will develope a strong 
yellow-gTeen colour, even in a weak solution. In this 
reaction, as well as in the persistent colour of its salts, 
this alkaloid shows a curious resemblance to aricine. 
The yellow colour renders the examination of its op¬ 
tical properties difficult, but, as far as has been hitherto 
tried, it is inactive. I have not been able to recognize 
fluorescence in its solutions. 
Its taste is a peculiar bitter, very much less, both in 
intensity and peimanence, than that of the other cin¬ 
chona alkaloids. 
I have not been able to find out whether this alkaloid 
is contained in all the species of cinchona, or, if not, to 
which it belongs, for the difficulty of the crystallization 
of the impure salts makes it a matter of uncei’tainty to 
obtain it. 
My uncle, Mr. J. E. Howard, when investigating the 
leaves of the Cinchona succirubra , from India, found 
minute quantities of an alkaloid, soluble in ether, from 
which an alcoholic solution of oxalic acid precipitated it 
in a crystalline form; but the small quantities at his dis¬ 
posal prevented his examining it further than to show 
its analogy with quinine; his present conviction is that 
this substance is identical with the alkaloid I have been 
desci'ibing, and though the evidence is not yet sufficient 
to enable us to speak with certainty, it tends strongly to 
prove it. It seemed so desirable to settle this point, and 
to thi'ow some light, if possible, on the order of forma- 
tion, and possibly on the far more important and far 
more difficult question of the mode of formation of the 
alkaloids of the descending sap, that he has written to 
Mr. Broughton, and we hope shortly to receive a quan¬ 
tity of the leaves sufficient to enable us to investigate it, 
—Journal of the Chemical Society. 
COMPOUND SYRUP OF SQUILLS, SYRUP OF 
SENEEA AND SYRUP OF IPECACUANHA. 
BY J. C. WHARTON. 
The tendency of some officinal syrups to ferment is 
strikingly manifested by the three above named, and 
although the present formulae for their preparation are 
improvements upon older ones, there are still serious 
difficulties in following implicitly the directions laid 
down in the U. S. Dispensatory. As a consequence, 
there are vax-ious inequalities in the resulting syrups, 
and, as I believe, fermentation is sometimes actually pro¬ 
moted by the tedious and lengthy proceedings required. 
It will be sufficient to offer as an instance the com¬ 
pound syrup of squill. As it is not necessary to give 
the formula in detailed proportions, the reader is referred 
to the U. S. Dispensatory, where it will be seen that 
